LOW-BRIDGE CLOSURE: Here’s how app-based free Water Taxi/bus rides will work

| King County Water Taxi | Transportation | West Seattle news

As promised, SDOT has gone public before week’s end with details of how you can ride the West Seattle Water Taxi and/or Metro buses fare-free for the duration of the low-bridge closure. As SDOT reps told West Seattle Bike Connections on Tuesday, the plan uses the Transit GO app, so if you’re interested, you have to download that if you don’t have it already. Here’s what happens from there, as explained by SDOT:

-Click on “Rewards” and enter code LOWBRIDGE23 to get 1,500 points for your next ride. Please note: there may be a slight delay in these points appearing.

-Tap “Redeem” and then select the free ride of your choice (King County Metro bus or West Seattle Water Taxi).

-Go to “View Ticket” and then confirm your order (required).

-Then, activate your ticket and show it to your transit operator.

-Once your ticket has been used, you’ll automatically be rewarded with another 1,500 points for your next ride. You’ll continue to earn free tickets while this rewards program is in effect.

As for how long that’ll be – how long the low-bridge closure will last – no new info on that. Meantime (as also noted on Tuesday), the funding for the bus/Water Taxi rides is coming from the voter-approved Seattle Transit Measure, a .15% sales tax (15 cents on a $100 purchase).

HarbourIslandworker January 6, 2023 (4:04 pm)

Oh… ok whatever I got the email… still doesn’t do anybody any favors if you work on Harbor Island? Is Metro going to bring back service to that area? Don’t see why they can’t do the loop U-turn or whatever. SDOT wants to call it. For whatever it’s worth I do hope some people find something comfortable in this option but for the majority the bikers they’ll still bike to work for the majority of the drivers they’ll still drive to work. Bus service to Harbor Island is just a failed attempt at actually realizing how people use transportation in the general area. So the people actually being affected by this closure aren’t even being helped. thanks SDOT

skeeter January 6, 2023 (5:28 pm)

I work on Harbor Island too. So crummy we cannot ride our bikes to work with the bridge out. I’ve been taking the #21 bus and exiting at 1st and Spokane (the first bus stop after crossing upper bridge.) Then I walk back .9 miles to my office on Harbor Island. Not ideal, but it’s the best option on days when I don’t have access to a car.
- Harborislandworker January 6, 2023 (5:47 pm)
  
  Skeeter…if we work around the same time schedule I would not have a problem giving you a ride to work…depending situation…I leave pretty early in the morning like 3:30-3:46 am let me know

DC January 6, 2023 (4:09 pm)

FYI – After clicking on ‘Rewards’ you then have to select ‘More’ and then click ‘Promo Code.’ Only then will it give you the option of entering LOWBRIDGE23.

WSB January 6, 2023 (4:10 pm)

Thanks!
lgh January 7, 2023 (9:58 am)

When I click view ticket after entering the promo in the app I get routed to the Play store in a web browser….. doesn’t work for me. Anyone else have this issue? Any fixes? Thank you!
YES2WS January 8, 2023 (10:08 am)

I typically struggle with this. Your steps worked right away. Thank you!

Tracey January 6, 2023 (4:40 pm)

What happens if you don’t use a cell phone? And no, I’m not kidding. Some of us remain old school in this inclusive city.

Bus January 6, 2023 (5:32 pm)

I’ve learned that if you start explaining your situation/opinions/anything really to a driver, they’ll just let you ride for free after like 6 seconds. It’s probably not an official policy to let chatty people ride for free, but I cannot imagine just telling they driver you don’t have a smart phone wouldn’t be enough to have them just let you on.

Chris January 6, 2023 (6:19 pm)

Thank you Tracey. We deal with seniors who do not have cell phones & some do not have computers. It is a challenge for them. One we know is 93. Another one has brain damage & try to train how to use the new phones has been totally unsuccessful, even though they tried.

John January 7, 2023 (1:34 pm)

Society needs to remember to respect our elders we shouldn’t even be hassling them about it somebody who’s in their ’90s shouldn’t even have to pay a fare
- 22blades January 8, 2023 (5:50 pm)
  
  In the rush to become a “World Class City”, they’ve built the city like an REI poster. Rudimentary access for Seniors has gotten world class bad.

1994 January 6, 2023 (6:30 pm)

If you show up with a bike maybe they will just let you on the water taxi? I also am smart phone free :) Life does go on without smart phones!

WSB January 6, 2023 (7:35 pm)

Regarding the question “what if you don’t have a smartphone?” that wasn’t addressed in this announcement, but when this app was announced as the vehicle (so to speak) for “Flip Your Trip” free rides in September 2021, the announcement we published included this line “People who do not have smartphones can choose to receive an ORCA card and program updates through community organizations, instead of using the Transit GO Ticket mobile app.” Examples of the “community organizations” were not given at that time. I will have to ask Metro/SDOT on Monday if there is any such provision now – TR

anonyme January 7, 2023 (6:43 am)

The demand that people must use smartphones to access benefits is ridiculous. It’s happening everywhere, including in grocery stores. If buses are supposedly free to everyone during this period, why should anyone have to download an app? Wouldn’t it be simpler to just not collect fares? I really think this is a form of discrimination by Metro (and others), a not-so-subtle way to shut out the poor and elderly. In other words, those who most need the help.

John January 7, 2023 (1:46 pm)

I couldn’t agree more!
22blades January 8, 2023 (5:53 pm)

It’s Technological Out$ourcing.

Jort January 7, 2023 (2:53 pm)

Transit should be free for all riders, all the time, anyway. No complicated app scheme should be needed. Just make it free, make car drivers bear the costs. It’s not a complicated thing to solve in any way.

anonyme January 11, 2023 (12:02 pm)

I followed all the links for Metro and SDOT to see if there were any options for non-smartphone users. I couldn’t find anything, so I sent an email to SDOT using the address provided on the relevant page. They responded with a dismissive email that had nothing to do with my question and said that if I insisted on an answer it would take two weeks for them to reply. Absolutely ridiculous – and typical. IMO, this is unequal access to public transportation, and possibly an ADA violation. Can the WSB follow up on this?

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